Coming into 2018, no one would have thought that Sony was not only going to surprise everyone with its “Venom” solo film, but that the true ace up the studio’s sleeve is the recently released “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” Not only is ‘Spider-Verse’ one of the best films of the year, but it will probably go down as one of the best, if not #1, superhero film of all time. And sure, the animation dazzles and the performances are all pitch perfect, but it’s the writing and the fundamental understanding of Spider-Man that really makes the film feel transcendent. And in a new interview with one of the film’s writers, we can definitely see the amount of care that went into the film, especially in the case of Stan Lee’s posthumous cameo.
READ MORE: The 20 Best Action Movies Of 2018
**Slight Spoilers for “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”**
For those that have seen the film, Stan Lee is given a cameo that is not only sweet and humorous (as are most of his Marvel film appearances), but he also says a line that really gets to the entire theme of the film, which is reiterated quite a bit – anyone can wear the mask.
But according to an IndieWire interview with co-writer Rodney Rothman, that cameo changed quite a bit during the film’s production, as the filmmakers decided the various ways that Lee’s cameo could affect the film.
Lee shows up at the end of the first act, as Miles Morales (recently bitten by a spider and witnessing Peter Parker’s death at the hands of Kingpin) buys a costume from the famous Marvel icon at an NYC bodega. The scene was always going to be the same, but the dialogue was changed numerous times.
“The thing that was interesting for us is that it evolved,” Rothman said. “We recorded it a year ago and it was not that long after his wife [Joan] had passed away. We had versions that tried a little harder to be funnier and tried a little harder to be harder. What ended up in the movie were the lines that had the most meaning to him.”
The writer goes on to explain that the original line that Lee tells Miles when the young hero asks him if he can return the costume if it doesn’t fit was going to be that the costume “never fits.” But eventually, after discussion, the line was changed to “it always fits…eventually.” (I’m not crying, you’re crying…) Obviously, if you’ve seen the film, you can tell just how much of an impact that change makes to the tone of the film, Lee’s cameo, and the progression of the theme.
Rothman added, “In the moment, he has to deliver just enough to get that kid to put the suit on.”
If you’re the type that reads spoilers and hasn’t seen the film, do yourself a favor and go see ‘Spider-Verse’ posthaste. You won’t regret it. And if you have a kid lying around somewhere, bring the little one along too!